You can do the same loop for nothing any other day. Poachers will be excluded from results and will be ex-communicated from NorCal Church of Bike.You will receive the collectors edition laminated map so you don’t get lost, and as much fun or pain as you hope to self inflict. All finishers will be entered in the raffle to receive awesome prizes from our sponsors.You will be told if you are a winner when you cross the line. Prizes are awarded randomly and not based on your placing. Top male/female will win a bottle of Arnot-Roberts wine. 11th place male/female will win a CrashTag and top 3 male/female custom CamelBak Grasshopper bottles. There will be some serious stoke for first male/female for King Ridge Dirt Supreme. Thanks to sponsors at Capo… 250 Euros each!

Baños: Please use portables (i.e. blue rooms) or the bathrooms in the Community Center. There will also be portos at the parking lot behind the Union Hotel.

Feed Zone: There will be Hammer Nutrition and hydration and HealthWarrior Chia Bars at the neutral feed. If you have your own special drink mix and food, leave them at the start with our Sponsoring Bike Shop who will take them out to the first feed stop for you. (Make sure they’re well-marked with your name.)

Be safe. Make sure your bike is in excellent working order before coming out and have fresh rubber. For Old Caz a cross bike is the best choice but mtb with skinnys or road w/ fat tires if you dare. A poorly cared for bike is a hazard for everyone. Hopper #2 Chileno Valley has no gravel and is a pure road ride.

IS THE GRASSHOPPER A RACE? No…and yes. Yes because we are insured and have permits to run the event like a race. There will be prizes for top 3 male and female riders for each event. There will be awards for top 3 over all in all age groups at the series finale. There will be awards in all categories at Lake Sonoma Mtb. The event is timed so it’s natural to push yourself. However, the course is open to all vehicular traffic. There will be marshals at important intersections to direct you but they WILL NOT STOP TRAFFIC. You MUST obey all traffic laws that apply to moving vehicles. NO because..for at least half the field, maybe more, this is about adventure; riding new terrain with friends, challenging oneself on mixed terrain and on new roads, and enjoying the beautiful, remote roads of Sonoma County. You decide. But whatever you’re style, be safe and have fun!

Series Points: Overall Points Leaders will be calculated in the following manner: 1 pt for first, 2 pts for second etc. The rider with the fewest points at the end of the series will be the winner. Your top 5 finishes will count towards your final standing. All riders who wish to compete for the Hopper Super Hero King of the Universe title in their age groups must finish Old Caz, Lake Sonoma MTB and King Ridge to be eligible. This means you can shred on every sled!

DO NOT CROSS THE YELLOW LINE

Do not cross the yellow line. (Or the invisible middle of the road) Do not cross the yellow line. Do not cross the yellow line. Did you catch that? Do not cross the yellow line. At times early on the pace may slow and the group will swell, but that doesn’t give you license to cross that line. Stay in one lane. Oh, and when there is NO yellow line…stay to the right! We have a permit to use the road but not brake the law. All riders are required to ride within the rule of the road at all times.

DON’T RIDE OR PASS LIKE A MORON

The Grasshopper Adventure Series rides are designed to push riders to their limits. It would be easy to design a loop in our back yard that would be nearly un-doable. We have crafted just the right combination of folds and undulations on snippets of Sonoma County Certified Ribbon Roads to bring you to the edge but not shove you off. The day is about adventure and camaraderie; not a podium spot. If you are not sure of your fitness, ability or course my suggestions are: 1. Notch ‘er down a couple. Remember smooth before fast. 2. Do you homework and be familiar with the course. 3. Make sure you have everything you need to get you home. (2 tubes, tire boots, CO2 AND a pump, food, H2O, warm clothes or rain cape for cold wet days, course map or GPS, space blanket and lucky (fake) rabbits foot. 4. Make new friends but keep the old one is silver and the other gold…locals know the rides. Both the turns and how to pace themselves. If you’ve never done a Hopper or a particular look, chat it up.

Obey all traffic laws. The course is open. The course IS marked. It is always best to pre-ride but we will have a route print out ahead of time and our super-cool Hopper laminates to help you out. There will be arrows on the road (Purple for King Ridge) and at KEY intersections. There will be marshals helping you to stay on course but not at every intersection. They will not be directing or stopping traffic. Always expect cars around tight corners–they will be there. These roads are USED by locals and will be on the road.

Make sure you STAGE in the group that fits your fitness. Look around–is this the group of buddies who you usually hang with? We have a mass start uphill to thin things out and keep the day safe.

For all rides ending on Willow Creek…DON’T PARK AT THE TOP OF WILLOW CREEK. Parking here has become a big deal to the neighbors and community of Occidental and West County. Hang out after the ride as long as you wish but don’t send family and friends to meet you at the finish. When starting at other locations, park in designated parking.

SAG: We provide one ambulance as a sweep to look after injured riders. There will be a SAG for emergencies only, not because you are tired or have cramps. Thanks to 2UpYoga for your support this year! This is an adventure series and we have done our best to keep it safe and have an emergency vehicle for injuries but if you flat, bonk or get lost…you need to make your way home. You will have an awesome laminate map so can find several ways to make the ride shorter (or longer) if you find it necessary. Always carry tubes and a pump and not just CO2 cartridges as well as a chain tool, allen wrenches and some $ in case you need to hit a local bakery (or bar) on the way home. Oh yeah, and don’t forget food and water. Their will be Guayaki, Hammer Nutrition and Health Warrior Chia Bars at the two rest stops as well as other snacks but don’t forget your special bacon and chocolate sandwich or left over pancake to fuel your engine.

No Personal Sag or Follow Vehicles: If you don’t think you’re ready to do this ride with minimal support, then this might not be the right event for you…yet. We need to keep extra vehicles off the road. Brian Borchers form Russian River Cycle Service (Sonoma County’s Smallest Bike Shop) will be our neutral support. He’ll be at the bottom of Willow Creek and later in Cazadero. This keeps it safest for everyone. We DO need volunteers on course so contact us if you wish to help out. Volunteers get entry into another Grasshopper event.

AT THE FINISH: If you bail out somewhere en route please have a friend inform us at the finish. (or text) If you are a raffle winner we’ll let you know. Drink a beer, a Coke or some refreshing Guayaki and some snacks. Then it’s time for stories and a trip back to town for lunch at The Union Hotel, or another fine dining establishment in Occidental.